Flying Car
by D-Money626
Summary: Rose returns to her original universe w/ the Doctor & Martha finding technology to make a car lift off the ground, but the Doctor notices foul play done by an old enemy. This is the 2nd episode of a different Series 4. "Oh, something is definetly wrong."
1. Regretful Musings

Martha rested her butt on the jump seat in the TARDIS, but things were different now. She turned her head from looking at the slightly less excited Doctor setting controls on the console to the blonde woman sitting next to her.

For longer than she cared to remember, she lived in the shadow of Rose's memory while traveling with the Doctor. Yet, here she was sitting next to her normal as can be. It was almost ironic how much incorrect the picture Martha had made in her head of what Rose could be. Instead, the reality was that Rose was just sitting there staring off into space not even having realized that Martha was staring at her.

Rose seemingly had noticed as Martha heard her ask, "What?"

Martha just shook her head muttering, "Nothing." Rose went back to wherever she was, the Doctor, of course was in his own little world, so Martha continued to figure out her own.

They had just left the parallel world where Martha mused that it was a complete mistake on the Doctor's part. In doing so, they faced and defeated the Autons which for her was a first experience, but for both of them, it was a second. The Doctor and Rose had hugged at first but she did not see their relationship really progress from that. She found herself asking during the low moments of the ordeal if this was the same Doctor that had been broken into melancholy whenever even Rose's name had been uttered on previous travels. Surely they both wouldn't have been so reserved!

Through it she learned a lot about Rose, especially when it was Rose and her together whom actually defeated the Autons by swinging into them. That was when she gained true respect for Rose in realizing that some of the Doctor's memories that had plagued him had at least some reason to.

What followed though was an awkward moment between all three so Martha had excused herself. She told them they needed alone time and went inside the TARDIS. During that considerable amount of time she wondered if Rose would come back through considering she had a stable job, a family, and a decent life. Martha also wondered how things would change as far as her place in things if Rose came in. She was resigned to being a possible third wheel as long as she could enjoy why she was still here in the first place. The adventure. She didn't love the Doctor anymore but she'd be lying if she admitted that there was no attachment at all between them. Even he'd admit that even if he'd never do so verbally.

When the Doctor had walked in with Rose following, her answer had been given. Unfortunately, it was not what she had expected to be the case. There was no real joy in either of their expressions. Rose had made a choice to come with him but they both looked as if they were in a world of regret. The Doctor was not bouncing around the console as much and Rose, as mentioned earlier, was sitting next to her staring into space, regretfully. Yeah, that would explain how everything was right then and there. Regretful.

They were heading back to their proper universe right now to London in Martha's time. She was just left with the hope that nobody did anything that they'd regret while there…


	2. Another Adventure

The blue box known as the TARDIS sat parked in an alley of modern-day London. The Doctor poked his head out and grinned. "Yep, 2009 Earth, London. Everything as it should be."

The Doctor walked out with Martha and Rose following him as Rose shut the door behind her. Martha was mildly amused and decided to tease him. "Are you disappointed then?"

"Never, Martha. Every day's an adventure for me. Never been here before after all, well at least not with these eyes. What about you, Rose?"

"What?" Rose had been preoccupied as she had been drinking in the scene around her. She was truly back to her original universe with the Doctor. During the trip in the TARDIS it just hadn't hit home yet. These changes, although good, in her eyes were going to take some getting used to. Her mum was in another universe and she was never going to see her again. That hurt, but this had been her choice and she would learn how to put the hurt behind her just like him. Maybe she should ask the Doctor how he had learned to cope but now was definitely not a good time. After all, she was having a hard time just thinking about what she would even say to him about it. "Oh, nah, not bored, but this just feels kinda different."

The Doctor became rather concerned about that last bit but decided to show indifference. "What do you mean, you feel different?"

"Just feels different, yeah?"

Martha decided to add, "Doesn't feel different for me."

The Doctor decided to clarify what his explanation of it. "Well normally it wouldn't. Ya see, Rose has been in that parallel world for at least twice as long a time as has passed here. I'm guessing that each universe has a different type of molecular structure where if you spend a lot of time in a universe different from your own than your own body will naturally adjust to that universe."

Rose supplied, "Feels kind of tingly."

"Yeah, that would be the best way to describe it. You know, Rose, you need time to adjust it sounds like. We should walk around a little bit. You don't mind, right, Martha?"

"Course not, Doctor." Martha was actually being truthful with him there. While the Doctor had thought she may be bored with her own time period, she had actually spent so little time in it lately that it barely even felt like her own. Time travel is a very funny thing and the more time Martha seems to spend in the TARDIS with the Doctor, the more she began to understand that stuff. Come to think of it, she felt a little 'tingly' herself. This was more of a haven't seen an old best friend for awhile type of feeling though.

The three left the TARDIS in the alley and began to walk along the city streets of London with people walking around them and cars passing by. It was an ordinary beautiful sunny day for all extensive purposes. If you asked the Doctor, it felt a little too ordinary.

As they walked, they passed several shops, not really paying any attention to them. The Doctor had started going on about a story about a crimson-colored toothpaste that had famously helped an old king overcome diabetes after having seen an advertisement on one of the windows for Colgate.

"…So you see, even though the toothpaste went on to become famous it never really cured… him.. at… all." The Doctor had gotten distracted for that last bit as did Rose and Martha as the televisions inside a shop on display were showing a breaking news bulletin. "That's weird, don't remember anything happening for months from now." All three stopped to look at the TVs and were joined by several curious passers-by.

The anchorwoman reporting the news announced as a picture of a man in his thirties was displayed. "Today in London a new invention will be unveiled. A former traffic planner by the name of Orville Toms has miraculously invented a new prototype of the automobile."

Martha mouthed, "So?"

"Toms has found out how to make cars fly." Everyone's eyebrows shot up like they had been blasted into the air. "Several important guests are scheduled to attend the…"

While some continued to watch the broadcast the three time travelers decided to discuss what this meant. Martha regarded the Doctor. "Flying cars, she says? I mean I remember those on New Earth, but today? Is this right Doctor?"

Rose rolled her eyes and sighed. "New Earth? Oh, you're a regular Einstein."

The Doctor paused before deciding that he did not have an adequate enough response for Rose. "You're right, Martha, humans don't discover how to make cars lift off the ground for another 100 years. Something is wrong. Oh, something is definitely wrong."

Rose's displeasure at the Doctor had blossomed up. "Sounds like we found ourselves another adventure!"


	3. The Future

The three time travelers seemingly dressed for the occasion, opened the doors and walked into an elegant meeting hall. Inside they found media, top celebrities, political figures, and the highest classes of London gathered around talking with each other. On the far wall sat an elevated stage with an object shaped like a car covered by a white sheet.

Martha commented, "Blimey, it's crowded in here."

The Doctor was searching for a particular individual he had seen on the news broadcast outside; Orville Toms. He found said man standing over by the stage with a cocktail in his hand chatting it up with an older grey haired man.

The three travelers made their way through the crowd toward him as they overheard the ending of the conversation. The older gentleman held out his hand to Orville shaking his hand while saying, "Mr. Toms, the academy is going to be delighted to see how you have made your car fly."

Orville replied humbly. "I am just thankful that the academy has supplied me with the funding to do it. With your help and my research we really can change the world!"

The Doctor tried to get his attention. "Mr. Toms? Orville Toms?"

"Yes?"

"The Doctor. Rose. Martha." The Doctor had pointed when introducing the other two women while shaking Orville's hand. "Nice to meet you."

Orville seemed to have momentarily reacted strangely through an almost defensive facial expression upon hearing the Doctor and Rose's names somewhat before shrugging it off and saying, "And you."

The Doctor pointed to the object under the sheet. "So I hear you got a flying automobile under there."

Orville laughed. "It's why you're here, isn't it, Doctor? I guess you can say that science has indeed taken us far. It was only a matter of time before someone figured this out and I guess I was the lucky one. But, I do apologize. It's time I start the unveiling." He smiled proudly. "You're going to love this!"

As Orville prepared to take the stage the Doctor and the two women made their way back into the crowd. All the people in the room gradually made their ways to the front of the stage in anticipation as word spread that things were starting.

The Doctor decided to share his thoughts with his companions. "Seems to me like your average genius inventor, but how he came across the materials to make it fly just really puzzles me."

Rose asked, "Why's that?"

"Well, for one levitation for cars and the like is supposed to be discovered by humans using an alien material, traded from a planet orbiting Alpha Centari. The woman that discovered it wasn't even a scientist. Actually just a business woman in the middle of a routine excavating mission."

Martha laughed. "Probably scared her wet."

"Actually, it did. She had to change which is how she met the biology student that suggested she look more into it."

Martha just grinned. "Sometimes I'm not sure what is truth with you and what is you just trying to say something clever."

"I'll have you know Martha that everything I say happened. I have seen…" The Doctor stopped mid sentence as he noticed Rose pick up a martini from the passing attendant. The action made him rather annoyed at her. "Hardly the time for a drink Rose."

Rose just grinned. "You know what they say Doctor; when in Rome." The Doctor decided to not press whatever his problem was as Orville took the stage to a sea of clappers.

Orville stood at a podium in front of the covered object and began his presentation once the noise quieted. The scientist took a deeper and more excited tone as he began, "Ladies and gentleman, the future of automobiles is before you. This prototype before me has been tested and I assure each and everyone's safety as I try it for the first time in front of a public audience."

He quickly pulled the curtain off of the car and everyone gasped wondering what they'd discover. To everyone's surprise the car seemed to be a fairly ordinary white Ford Focus.

Orville addressed the elephant in the room. "Yes, I know it look like an ordinary car. But, I will show you what makes this car a picture of what is to come!"

He went to the door and grabbed the handle to open it open it. Orville than sat down in the driver's seat, fished his keys out of his pocket, and put them in the ignition which turned it on. He flipped a switch attached to the steering wheel and in front of everyone's eyes the car lifted above the ground. The crowd began to collectively gasp as flashes from cameras became more than noticed in the crowd. He continued his presentation while inside the car with the door still open so people could see him.

"As you can see, I have developed a way to make cars lift. If I give it a little gas it'll move forward and remain in the air." Orville demonstrated just that to a dumbfounded reaction from the crowd. He then flipped the switch again and the car went back to the ground resting peacefully. Orville turned the key and removed it from the ignition, which turned off the car.

The crowd erupted into a huge applause with people shouting in glee while Martha yelled out, "Incredible!"

Orville finished his presentation after the applause died. "I hope you enjoyed my presentation, and I hope that soon the world's traffic problems will be solved by my invention. No more roads!" The audience erupted in applause, repeating, "No more roads" a couple times as Orville took a bow.

As Orville left the stage, the applause died with most of the guests beginning to leave the building. The Doctor left the women behind and started walking toward the scientist. He was going to take this opportunity to find out what was really going on...


	4. Unexpected Source

The Doctor took the opportunity and walked up to Orville. The scientist had been given a towel and was using it on his face. "The Doctor, right? Is that your real name, sir?"

"Just the Doctor."

"Well, Doctor, seems a storm is approaching us. You better get home before you get wet."

The Doctor seemed to notice that Orville had said 'storm' a little weirdly with an odd sense of meaning behind it. Was he referring to the 'Oncoming Storm' or was it just a pure coincidence? As a Time Lord he had the ability to see those minute details. Just in case, the Doctor decided to probe more. "Tell me something Mr. Toms, how did you come up with the technology to lift cars? I'm a fellow scientist myself actually, may even understand." The Doctor had winked for that last bit.

Orville decided after getting the wink that he could trust the Doctor. "Certainly! A man by the name of Abel gave me some kind of lifting mechanism while I was a city planner, working on a traffic problem in Piccadilly Circus. He was a bit nutty, and I thought what he gave me was a piece of junk, but I ran some tests on it, and it turned out it was the link I needed to make this great discovery!"

The Doctor shared in Orville's glee. There was nothing better than seeing someone achieve their dreams. All the inventors he had met in his lives always seemed to have a strong but rare sense of excitement about their work. Unfortunately, there was something obviously wrong here. The timelines didn't match and he had to find out why this was. He probed him showing curiosity. "Could I see the lifting mechanism?"

"Depends, I prefer to keep my secrets from the press at the moment if you don't mind. Who do you represent?"

"Oh, no worries there. I'm sort of a freelancer scientist type. Really only here for the intellectual curiosity."

Orville grinned wide knowing he had a real opportunity to show off to a fellow intelligent man. "Wait till you see this little beauty then!" He walked over to the front of the car and opened the hood while motioning to the Doctor to join him. Orville pointed to the part that looked like it was before its time. It looked a little bit like a carburetor except its wiring was heavily advanced made of an undiscovered type of metal. "Right here!" he proclaimed.

The Doctor knew it! Something was most definitely wrong here! "May I scan this? I seem to be an expert and finding where things are from." After getting a nod from Orville, he pulled out his sonic screwdriver and then scanned the item.

The Doctor was shocked at the findings with a tint of fear, which Orville noticed. The Doctor quickly put on a nonchalant face. "Very interesting…"

Orville had noticed the initial reaction and knew he had to probe him. Why did this Doctor show fear when he saw it? Was there something special about that piece of equipment. It looked different, yes, but it was harmless. "You know of its origins?"

"Very distant. Shouldn't even be here. In fact, I almost can't believe it."

Orville was high in anticipation. "Where is it from, Doctor?"

The Doctor couldn't believe it, but it was exactly what the scan had told him. "It's from a race called the Daleks…"

That name, as spoken by the Doctor, reverberated in the back of Orville Tom's skull. "Daleks." He'd heard it before but he couldn't place it. Whatever it was he couldn't let the Doctor know, so he feigned ignorance. "The who?"

The Doctor had caught his underlying emotions and he knew something big was about to happen. Orville was lying about something, but what? He needed to buy some time. "Nothing to worry about Mr. Toms. I just need to meet with my friends for a minute. I'll talk with you in just two ticks." The Doctor winked encouragingly at Orville who raised his thumb in silent agreement. He left Orville behind to join Rose and Martha who were chatting.

"…And they were statues. Great big statues, but you couldn't blink. Weeping angels he called them."

Rose was about to ask a question before she caught sight of the Doctor and quickly realized he had something heavy on his mind from his scanning. "Where's the lifting mechanism from Doctor? Saw you scanning it."

"It's from a Dalek."

Rose was horrified! After everything that happened. Her separation from the Doctor and having to make that gut wrenching decision between him and her family, the Daleks were still alive terrorizing her life. "But… but that's impossible, they all fell through the void that day!"

Martha filled her in. "The cult of Skaro escaped, but there's still only one Dalek alive. His name is Caan."

Rose really couldn't believe it. She didn't want to.

The Doctor explained his thoughts out loud. "He said it came from a man named Abel, but, who could that be?" The women shrugged their shoulders when he looked at them for answers. "Mr. Toms is somehow involved and whatever role he is playing, whether he is completely innocent or being used is the question, we need to tread lightly before its too late." Both Rose and Martha nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile Orville had been tinkering with his car. He was trying to use a plug from the wall into a homemade socket on the carburetor to give it more power to help it lift quicker. Suddenly, a burst of energy flowed into the car and it began to light up inexplicably. Orville was shocked! The engine turned on and the car appeared to be running without anyone having turned it on.

Orville was stunned and frightened as the car began to slide forward building speed as it went. The three conversing travelers quickly noticed and started running toward him but weren't close enough to get there in time. Orville tried to run away but the car overtook him, hitting him and making him fall to the ground unconscious.

Then, like a scene out of a horror movie, the car continued moving forward faster and faster to plow through the wall and onto the outside streets…


	5. Car Chase

The Doctor, Martha, and Rose stood over the now unconscious inventor, Orville Toms. Through the freshly made hole in the wall they could see the car speeding with reckless abandon into buildings and people getting further and further away. As screams filled the air it was Martha that took action. She shouted desperately at the Doctor, not wanting an argument, "You two stop the car! I'll make sure he's okay!"

The Doctor nodded in silent agreement at Martha and grabbed Rose's hand while yelling, "Run!" The two promptly let go of each other's hands to be quicker and took off running after the car hoping they might be able to catch it. All around them it looked as if a tornado, or certainly some type of weather disturbance, had run havoc in central London which made them run with more intensity.

They both grinned between breathes as they were gaining ground. In fact they had gotten so close that with a well timed jump one of them could get on the back of the car. Whatever had happened was a malfunction and if one of them could climb in and reach the steering wheel than they could turn it off. Rose was beginning to really tire but she kept on trying to keep up with the Doctor.

The Doctor realized he was close enough and made a lunge for the vehicle. On his way down he grabbed for the car's bumper and was successful, unfortunately his legs were flaring in the air because the car was getting even faster. The Doctor reached his hand out to bring Rose with him but she couldn't reach and began to slow. Rose stopped once she knew she couldn't go farther as the Doctor tried to grab onto the hood of the car so he could slip into the exposed window that was still open from the presentation.

Suddenly, the car made a sharp turn and the Doctor lost his grip, sending him flying right into a carton of melons. The car sped away and the Doctor's dilemma gave Rose a new sense of energy, so she ran to him.

The Doctor stared a little groggily at first as Rose, who was breathing heavily, pushed a now crushed melon off of him. She than gave her a hand to help him up as he told her. "Thanks."

"Doctor, there's gotta be another way, it's too fast for us…" The Doctor looked like he agreed as he looked madly trying to find a solution. Rose offered one suddenly and just as excitedly. "We should use the TARDIS!"

The Doctor smiled like a million-watt bulb at his companion. "Brilliant! We can head off its path!"

They immediately took off running the opposite direction, leaving the car still wreaking havoc going the other direction. They knew that every second wasted meant more destruction and more death. Rose was tired and so was the Doctor, whether he admitted it or not, but neither would rest till they made it inside their ship.

The Doctor and Rose made it to the TARDIS, opened the doors, closed them, and didn't stop till they reached the console. They both fell against the console quickly catching their breaths as the Doctor talked between his. "If I guess how fast it's accelerating then we should transport to…" With faster than usual reflexes he set the controls and the TARDIS' engines started to pulsate.

Rose hung on desperately to the console during the rougher than usual transport. While still catching her breath she asked, "How are we gonna stop it?"

The Doctor explained as he turned dials and pressed buttons having already caught his breath. "The lifter is part of a Dalek. Apparently the car is acting like it too. We need to inhibit the lifter by using some kind of wave. You know when you have a radio, and you sit next to it while you're still on the phone?"

"Yeah!"

"Exactly! Big loud annoying piercing sound!" The TARDIS came to a halt as the Doctor rushed to the door with Rose trailing to find the car heading straight for them. "We need a radio!"

"Use my phone!" She promptly threw him her phone.

"Who do you want me to call?"

"I don't care. Doesn't matter!"

"Ok." The Doctor dialed the last number called, listed as "Mum," as the car zoomed closer to a collision with the TARDIS. The phone began to dial the aforementioned number as he put his sonic screwdriver close to the phone and turned it on.

A loud, irritating, high-pitched buzzing commenced making Rose in the TARDIS cover her ears along with anyone a couple blocks from the melee. It worked, as the car's engines stopped with a loud bang and it began to slow down abruptly. The Doctor grinned a winning smile as he ran back into the TARDIS as the car crept to a stop with a sputtering sound just shy of hitting the ship. If it went just a meter more it would have struck it.

Yelling and screaming in joy and relief filled the streets and was joined by the Doctor and Rose, who jumped into each other's arms in pure celebration, hugging.

The Doctor broke the hug and made his way to stand in the doorway of the TARDIS as Rose looked on. The car had stopped close enough where he had to stand there to even open the hood. He unfastened the offending hood and withdrew his sonic screwdriver. The Doctor pointed it at the Dalek-inspired lifting mechanism and turned it on. A huge spark emitted as it fizzled with smoke rising from it.

People began to gather witnessing the smoke to congratulate them but neither of the time travelers had time to be thanked. They shut the doors behind them leaving the car sitting now unusable. As they made their way back to the console to return the TARDIS back to the meeting hall to return to Martha, Rose causally asked, "Who'd you call, Doctor?"

"It's nobody, don't worry about it." Rose had noticed that the Doctor had said that so nonchalantly that she knew he was hiding something from her. "Right, now we need to go back, get Martha, and see if Orville is ok." The Doctor handed the phone back to Rose and set the controls on the TARDIS with a cheerful yet slightly quicker cadence than usual. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to get there quickly but something within him told that something wrong was still happening and Martha or Orville could be in danger.

While standing there in transit, Rose took a look at who he had called wondering why he had withheld telling her. Her heart caught in her chest as she read who it was; her mother. Seeing the name, knowing that the call could never be completed ever again, made her remember her decision that she had made. Never again would she see her mum or even talk to her. It had hurt before on the TARDIS but here was a simple communication she had relied on even back when she traveled with the Doctor before being separated from him. She couldn't even call her mum anymore and the world fell down on her as she silently cried.

The Doctor's face was grinning in transit until he met hers. She was crying but was pretending not to, which soured his mood because he knew why. He had hoped to prevent reality from hitting home by not sharing who he had dialed when his thoughts turned inward, blaming himself for having letting her choose. The Doctor had let Rose down by being selfish because deep down he had wanted her here. Unfortunately, he could not go back in time to force her hand to make the right choice for her.

The TARDIS landed right behind the exhibition hall where they had left Martha in with a thud that shook both of them out of their own thoughts and emotions quickly. The Doctor and Rose walked out, closing the doors behind them, before using the back door that was unlocked to gain the closest entry back into the building.

They made their way through the meeting hall kitchen and opened the doors to the main hall. They were ready to greet Martha happily, but what they found chilled them both to the bone, freezing them in place.

Martha stood there, terrified, looking at them with Orville Toms, fully conscious, holding one of her arms and with the other pressing a gun to her head…


	6. Exterminate!

Orville Toms held Martha's arm with one hand and with the other pressed a gun to her head. As he looked at the Doctor and Rose hauntingly, he warned them loudly, "One step closer and I'll shoot her!"

The Doctor stayed cemented but pleaded, "Don't do this, Orville! What did she ever do to you?"

"You are the Doctor! My sworn enemy and I'll make you pay for it!"

The Doctor couldn't believe it. "What? What do you mean my sworn enemy?" He became slightly frightened on the inside, going over hundreds of scenarios in his head about what had caused this.

He yelled terrorizingly and just as mad, "I don't know! The voice in my head! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

"You're a Dalek!" Martha cried out, horrified for him, while the Doctor and Rose stood in stunned silence still at the door.

After a couple seconds of silence between the four in the room, the Doctor dropped his surprise and pretended to act indifferent. "Alright, you win. I changed my mind, go ahead and kill her then. After all, isn't that what you're programmed to do, right?"

Martha's face dropped. What in the world was he doing?

Orville had noticed the change to but instead of following the order, he went on the offensive, waving the gun and yelling, "I'm not playing around! I will shoot her!"

The Doctor took on an air of annoyance before sighing. "Well, do it then already."

Orville threw Martha away from him right after the Doctor's statement and pointed the gun straight at him. "Why should it be her when you're the one I want?"

The Doctor answered, sounding convincing, "Quite right too, I should say. You Daleks are always trying to kill me, but… but you're not a real Dalek, aren't you?"

With the gun pointed at the Doctor, Orville looked genuinely scared for the first time he'd seen him. "That man - Abel, not only gave me a Dalek lifter. He did… he did something with my mind!" The Dalek-human was self-destructing emotionally but his fear died when he took on one of vengeance again. "Part of me wants you dead right here and now!"

The Doctor noticed Orville's inner conflict too. Maybe, just maybe, he could get through if he got both sides to address the other. "What's the other part feeling?"

The Dalek-human looked a mess emotionally and everyone was on pins and needles knowing that with the wrong word in the wrong place, he might just shoot someone. "I'm scared. Properly scared that I'll fail. Scared that fighting this… this thing in me isn't worth it anymore. It knows what it wants and I don't!"

Rose spoke up hoping to encourage him. "It's worth it, Orville. Its always worth it. Really, though, it's ok to be confused. The Dalek seems like it knows what it wants but its all hate. Hate for the Doctor, hate for me, and even hate for yourself because your not pure either."

He still looked frightened but half smirked at that. "The Bad Wolf is right." Rose raised a very curious eyebrow as Orville continued, "The Dalek is scared so all he wants to do is do what he's been programmed to do; kill the Doctor…but… but I can't let him do it."

Orville moved his arm from pointing at the Doctor to now pointing it at his head. This was it. His head was a swirling of emotions and he thought about what he could become. He was pointing guns at people that meant no threat to him. The Dalek-human could not even control his actions, his thoughts, and even his emotions because he was fighting a losing battle. He had one way out of this hell and he knew what he had to do. It had to be quick and it had to be done without hesitation.

The Doctor yelled, "No!" but Orville pulled the trigger with a loud bang, making him fall to the ground dead.

After all of them had taken a minute to get over the shock and sorrow for the gruesome scene that had just taken place before them, Martha ran over to the Doctor, hugging him, which he returned in earnest. He muttered in her ear, "I'm so sorry, Martha." Martha than went over to Rose and they hugged, not saying a word. Words just didn't feel like they were right for the moment.

After they had parted, Rose asked the Doctor curiously, "Before he seemed normal. Why? Did something change?"

The Doctor's eyes glazed over as he stared at nothing in particular. "It must have been that universal feeling of desperation when his life's work became a disaster. Deep inside, he found a being that he trusted would save himself and make him confident and useful once again, while killing the one person a Dalek will always blame. No matter how many times he forgives it, it will always come after him in the end." When the Doctor finished he felt a hundred years older.

Martha looked at him in understanding while Rose came over to him to grab his hand seeing his current need for it. Martha muttered, "You."

The Doctor answered even though he didn't want to talk about it, "It's hardwired into any Dalek to hate me, and when he saw that I had destroyed his dream he let the Dalek get the revenge it's always sought. I was… I was just trying to help. I always am, but..."

Rose hugged him. "It's not you're fault, Doctor. I'm never going to care what happens or what you do because I know why."

The Doctor smiled sadly only half believing her but still was extremely touched by Rose's admission. He knew she loved him but she could never truly understand. She had said so back on that beach and despite what he may or may not have said, what could he say now? He was the man a Dalek was always after, but that was only the start. He was not a man she should ever love.

Martha had noticed their tender moment, agreeing with what Rose had said. She knew where his heart was too. It was always for what he felt was the right thing to do and it hurt her that he always took the blame, but with all that he's experienced he had every right to. She also was hurt for more personal reasons. The Doctor's hearts were with the blonde and even though she knew it all along, she was seeing it in a new light. Although she knew nothing would ever happen between her and the Doctor, the irrational part of her would never accept that. Until this point she had always had hope and she constantly had buried it citing a multitude of excuses. Martha had told herself that it wasn't important, that she could ignore being around him with Rose, but the truth was staring at her. She realized then and there that she still loved the Doctor and she had absolutely no idea what to do about it.

The Doctor and Rose parted, which made Martha silently rejoice so she wouldn't break down in front of him. Still, there was an unanswered question he might know. "Who do you think Abel is?"

The Doctor shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Whoever he is, he's somehow seen a Dalek, which is scary in itself. Still, another adventure, another day, I suppose. Come along, girls."

Rose silently whispered under her breath as she remembered Orville's words, "The Bad Wolf is right…" Her reverie had thankfully gone unheard.

While the time travelers walked out of the building, the Doctor looked back at Orville's dead figure with a sense of a scary foreboding on what was to come for him…


	7. Next Time Trailer

Next Time on Doctor Who:

Martha's eyes are wide as she exclaims, looking at a countryside with a castle in the distance, "Wow, it's like right out of a storybook!"

A king puts down a drink at a round table in a medieval room with men sitting all around it. The king proclaims, "We have an adventure ahead of us men, let us drink."

A huge roar is heard seemingly from behind a vacant castle as the king and his men await.

The Doctor, Rose, and Martha are standing within the inner-castle walls where huts and markets line them on both sides. Most of the townspeople seem busy and ignore them but one of them seems to stare at them with a frightening, curious glint in his eye.

"Who are you?" demands the Doctor of a seemingly normal man.

The King continues excitedly to his men, "Something powerful, something strong, and something inhuman!"

The Doctor beams, holding his psychic paper out to the king. "It's an honor to meet you, King Arthur, it's an honor!"

King Arthur looks at something, smiling fondly at something on his belt. "My trusty companion. Never lost a battle after the day I found it."

Very threateningly the Doctor yells, "What have you done with them?"

A giant dark head rises from a vacant castle beneath it, blocking its view with a stream of fire.

The king explains something to the Doctor. "We encountered a large creature of sorts. A growling, fire-breathing creature."

The Doctor roughly grabs Rose's arm as she tries to wiggle away and moves his head so that he is staring straight into her eyes. "I would never!"

A man threatens the Doctor as he stands in a dark dungeon illuminated by only a few candles. "Which will it be? Rose or Martha?" With arms and legs chained to the wall, Rose and Martha struggle to get free as they call out, "Doctor!"

A huge roar is heard as a giant head lifts itself above the castle walls and growls. The beast propels its head to one of the frightened knights and opens its mouth, breathing fire on him, causing him to scream in agony…

Series 4 will continue with "An Arthurian Legend" next week!


End file.
